Sam L Laskin

Military
A battle damaged B-24J Liberator (serial number 44-40468) nicknamed "Mean Kid" of the 34th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24J-165-CO S/N 44-40468.' media-379045.jpg FRE 609 A battle damaged B-24J Liberator (serial number 44-40468) nicknamed "Mean Kid" of the 34th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24J-165-CO S/N 44-40468.' Roger Freeman Collection

IWM, Roger Freeman Collection

Object Number - FRE 609 - A battle damaged B-24J Liberator (serial number 44-40468) nicknamed "Mean Kid" of the 34th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24J-165-CO...








On 14 June 1944, the 34th Bomb Group flew a mission to bomb Cambrai-Epinoy airfield in France, in support of Allied ground troops in Normandy. Laskin was flying “Mean Kid”, a brand new B-24 on its fifth mission, which sustained severe damage from enemy fire over Antwerp. Unable to make it home to Mendlesham in Suffolk and with only one landing wheel down, the pilot Lieutenant Sam Laskin crash landed the aircraft at Manston, Kent.

Laskin was badly wounded, but his crew remained unscathed and as a result Laskin received the Silver Star for valour.

Connections

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Units served with

A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 44-8309) nicknamed "Ol' Buddy" of the 18th Bomb Squadron, 34th Bomb Group at Mendelsham. Pete Gray was the aircraft's crew chief. Handwritten caption on reverse: '18th B.S. 34th BG. Pete Gray C/C.'

18th Bomb Squadron

  • Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment
The insignia of the 34th Bomb Group

34th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

A battle damaged B-24J Liberator (serial number 44-40468) nicknamed "Mean Kid" of the 34th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24J-165-CO S/N 44-40468.'

44-40468

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Mean Kid
  • Unit: 34th Bomb Group 18th Bomb Squadron

Places

Revisions

Date
ContributorEmily
Changes
Sources

Colonel Bob Simpson, 34 BG Mission summary: http://colbobsimpson.com/history/history_34th_bomb_group.html
http://www.8thafhs-pa.org/member-profiles/sam-l-laskin-34th-bg/story-sam...
http://articles.philly.com/2013-11-12/news/43935234_1_veterans-day-ameri...

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

1996 34th BG Roster / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia

Sam L Laskin: Gallery (2 items)

A battle damaged B-24J Liberator (serial number 44-40468) nicknamed "Mean Kid" of the 34th Bomb Group. Official caption printed on image: "ISAD. 15 June 44 (1531) W.P.U. Battle Damage. B24J. 44-0468. Manston F.A." Handwritten on reverse: '34th B.G. 8th Air Force'.

Object number: FRE 3414 - A battle damaged B-24J Liberator (serial number 44...

A battle damaged B-24J Liberator (serial number 44-40468) nicknamed "Mean Kid" of the 34th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-24J-165-CO S/N 44-40468.'

Object number: FRE 609 - A battle damaged B-24J Liberator (serial number 44...